xviu 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



Length from snout to insertion of tail 

 length of tail 

 hair of the tail 



Extreme length 



Height at fore shoulder , 



hind quarter 

 Girth behind the fore legs 



12._0VIB0S MUSCHATUS (Musk Ox). 



OviBOS MuscHATiTs. — Rich: Faun. Bor. Amer. — p. 271. 

 Bos MuscHATUS. — Cuv: R^g. Anim. — p. 281. 



Sabine, in App. to Franklin's 1st Journey — vol. i., p. 668. 

 Rich: in App. to Parri/'s 2d Voy. — p. 331. 

 Musk Ox. — Hearne's Journey — p. 137. Pennant, Arctic Zool. — vol. i., p. 9. 



Oo ming mak.— Esquimaux. 



ITie circumstance of this animal and the Reindeer having been foimd in Melville Island, 

 led to the belief that a chain of islands, at no great distance from each other, coimected 

 Melville Island with the shores of the continent. The recent discovery of the Isthmus 

 of Boothia, and the fact that the continent of America extends to the 74th degree of 

 north latitude, affords an easy solution of the route by which this animal visits the 

 North Georgian Islands, They are said by the natives to be very numerous between the 

 Isthmus of Boothia and Repulse Bay ; but are not found to the westward, the whole 

 country being of low hmestone formation, whilst the rugged granite hills are the 

 favourite resort of the Musk Ox. 



On one of my surveying excursions from the ship, in April, 1830, we were fortunate 

 in meeting with two of these animals, which we killed ; they were both males, m very 

 fine condition. We found the meat most excellent food, and quite free from any musky 



